2024-25: Phantoms (AHL), Reading Royals (ECHL), NCAA, Jrs., Int'l, etc.

renberg

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Dec 31, 2003
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Today I was listening to NHL radio. There was a segment with a talent evaluator whose name I didn’t get. He got into skills evaluation, especially speed. It made me think of Luchanko. According to this evaluator speed alone means nothing. It’s how a player uses it. Ex-to get in on a forecheck; cover on defense; etc. Just being a burner isn’t enough. Does Jett use his speed to be a problem for an opponent?
 

deadhead

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Today I was listening to NHL radio. There was a segment with a talent evaluator whose name I didn’t get. He got into skills evaluation, especially speed. It made me think of Luchanko. According to this evaluator speed alone means nothing. It’s how a player uses it. Ex-to get in on a forecheck; cover on defense; etc. Just being a burner isn’t enough. Does Jett use his speed to be a problem for an opponent?
On defense yes, b/c he combines speed with defensive instincts. knows where to go and can get there quickly. And with his solid body, should make him an excellent forechecker

On offense, not as much yet, I think he hasn't been the "man" in the CHL long enough to have learned how to use his speed to drive an offense.

He only played one season in a top six role at 17 years old.
It would be nice if he got traded to a team with forwards who could finish.

What will be interesting is how TC and four NHL games taught him about quicker decision making, the bigger windows in the CHL tends to encourage playmakers to hold the puck and wait for a better play - in the NHL "he who hesitates is lost."
 

Magua

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He got into skills evaluation, especially speed. It made me think of Luchanko. According to this evaluator speed alone means nothing. It’s how a player uses it. Ex-to get in on a forecheck; cover on defense; etc.

Kind of ironic that the evaluation described — forechecking and covering for the defense (what a HockeyGuy thing) — doesn’t really have anything to do with higher level skating skill. It’s those off-puck areas that are Luchanko’s strength, and I’ll add driving lanes offensively so it’s not strictly a checking thing. The on-puck skating is the skill issue and sort of The Big Deal.
 

deadhead

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Feb 26, 2014
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Kind of ironic that the evaluation described — forechecking and covering for the defense (what a HockeyGuy thing) — doesn’t really have anything to do with higher level skating skill. It’s those off-puck areas that are Luchanko’s strength, and I’ll add driving lanes offensively so it’s not strictly a checking thing. The on-puck skating is the skill issue and sort of The Big Deal.
Couts showed you don't have to have speed to be effective in those areas, but having both instincts and speed allows you to gamble more b/c you can outskate your mistakes.
 
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Magua

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Couts showed you don't have to have speed to be effective in those areas, but having both instincts and speed allows you to gamble more b/c you can outskate your mistakes.

Might want to sit down for this: Luchanko doesn’t have Couturier’s instincts. Couturier also has better puck skills. I don’t even know what areas you mean, but I’ll just say: yes, you don’t need speed for any area. That Luchanko has elite straight line skating isn’t his issue and is part damning too.
 
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renberg

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Dec 31, 2003
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Kind of ironic that the evaluation described — forechecking and covering for the defense (what a HockeyGuy thing) — doesn’t really have anything to do with higher level skating skill. It’s those off-puck areas that are Luchanko’s strength, and I’ll add driving lanes offensively so it’s not strictly a checking thing. The on-puck skating is the skill issue and sort of The Big Deal.
He was talking about being able to weaponize speed. It’s not can you forecheck but how fast can you get on top of an opponent in order to force a TO; can you cover an area quickly that a teammate has left vacant; and so forth. Being fast doesn’t matter unless it contributes to the success of the team. Thinking about Tippett right now.
Actually with Luchanko not having much of a shot, how much production does he generate for Flyers? Flahr loves a skill, usually size and the draftees lack other skills. Did he do the same with Luchanko and his speed. In his time this season with the Flyers, I didn’t see him generating much. Using the thirteenth selection in the draft for a bottom six center is a waste.
 

deadhead

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Feb 26, 2014
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He was talking about being able to weaponize speed. It’s not can you forecheck but how fast can you get on top of an opponent in order to force a TO; can you cover an area quickly that a teammate has left vacant; and so forth. Being fast doesn’t matter unless it contributes to the success of the team. Thinking about Tippett right now.
Actually with Luchanko not having much of a shot, how much production does he generate for Flyers? Flahr loves a skill, usually size and the draftees lack other skills. Did he do the same with Luchanko and his speed. In his time this season with the Flyers, I didn’t see him generating much. Using the thirteenth selection in the draft for a bottom six center is a waste.
He just turned 18 a few weeks before TC. If he was born 4 months later, good chance he'd be a top ten pick in this year's draft.

I'd wait until next year, see him in TC and gauge how much he's improved before I jump to any conclusions.

In TC and those 4 games Jett showed a nice passing touch, shooting is something he can improve.
He doesn't have to have a great shot, just a good enough wrister that goalies and D-men have to respect his shot.
 

deadhead

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Tuomaala 2 goals, including game winner in OT.

He's showing this season he can score, but I think he'll spend most of the year at LHV, because he needs a lot of work. But he's only 21 (turns 22 in Jan).

Early in the season he was padding his stats on the PP while sucking 5x5.
Now he's starting to score 5x5 on a regular basis.
2023-24: 69g 8-15 23 (ES)
2024-25: 17g 5-4 9 (ES)

But since he'll be on the bottom six if he comes up, he's got to develop more of a two way game, he's not Michkov, Torts won't live with his mistakes for good but not special offensive skills.
 
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